THM S

Keto Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake (THM S)

October 18, 2020 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

This Keto double layer pumpkin cheesecake is filled with seasonal fall flavors that your friends and family will love (whether they are off sugar or not).

This keto double layer pumpkin cheesecake is seriously amazing. I have made it twice in as many weeks and it has already been given a spot on our Thanksgiving dessert table this year.

The nutty crust pairs perfectly with the creamy layers of cheesecake and pumpkin flavors.

Wanna know a secret? I used to think that I didn’t like pumpkin. Like at all. Give me all the chocolate and peanut butter but I am skipping right over the pumpkin pie. But for some reason this year all things pumpkin have just been screaming my name.

I’ve made pumpkin spice almonds, a dump Cuffin pumpkin cake, baked pumpkin spice oatmeal, keto peanut butter pumpkin spice cookies, and Aldi Zero Carb Pumpkin Bread roll ups.

After a pumpkin filled few weeks, I guess that I really do like pumpkin. Just no pumpkin pie.

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Keto Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Making this cheesecake takes a bit of time to whip up, time to bake, cool and chill. It is not hard but the steps that you need to take make it great for a weekend or holiday dessert.

I served this to 5 people that are not on Keto / THM and they all loved it. It is one of those desserts that even people that are still eating sugar will love – and that hardly ever happens!

Here is what you need to make this sugar free cheesecake.

Ingredients for Low Carb Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Crust:

Chopped Pecans
Butter
Cinnamon
Monk Fruit

Cheesecake Filling:

Blocks Cream Cheese
Eggs
Maple Extract (you can sub Vanilla but I really think the maple adds so much)
Monk Fruit

Pumpkin Filling:

Pumpkin Puree
Pumpkin Pie Spice

Making the Pecan Crust

You will start with the crust and this nutty crust makes the entire cheesecake. A bit of crunch and a ton of flavor make this the perfect crust of your keto double layer pumpkin cheesecake.

Add the chopped pecans, cinnamon, sweetener and butter to a blender. Blend until combined.

Spread the pecan mixture into a 9 inch springform pan and bake at 350 Degrees for ten minutes. Allow to cool.

Mixing the Cheesecake Filling

Mix the cheesecake filling ingredients in a stand mixer or with a hand mixture. Remove 1.5 cups of the cheesecake filling and top the crust with it.

Add the pumpkin puree and the pumpkin spice to the remaining cheesecake batter. Mix well and then gently layer the pumpkin mix on top of the cheesecake layer.

Baking Time!

Place your keto double layer pumpkin cheesecake into the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes.

Allow the cheesecake to cool on the counter for about an hour. Finally, move the cheesecake to the fridge and chill for at least 3-4 hours or overnight. You don’t want to shortcut the chill time.

Top with homemade whipped cream or Fat Free Reddi Whip if you are a Trim Healthy Mama DTS.

Keto Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Servings

Ingredients

Keto Pecan Pie Crust

1.5 cups pecan pieces
4 tbsp Butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp monk fruit (optional)

Cheesecake Filling

2 blocks Cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup monk fruit
1 tsp maple extract
2 eggs

Pumpkin Filling

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp pumpkin spice

Servings

Ingredients

Keto Pecan Pie Crust

1.5 cups pecan pieces
4 tbsp Butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp monk fruit (optional)

Cheesecake Filling

2 blocks Cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup monk fruit
1 tsp maple extract
2 eggs

Pumpkin Filling

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp pumpkin spice

Instructions

Pecan Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pulse the pecan pieces, butter, cinnamon and monk fruit in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Spread the pecan crust into a greased 9 inch springform pan or a regular pie pan.
Bake for 10 minutes and then allow to cool.

Cheesecake Filling

Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Add the cream cheese, monk fruit, maple extract and eggs in a bowl. Using your stand mixer or a hand mixer, combine until smooth.
Take 1.5 cups of the cream cheese mixture and spread it onto the cooled pecan crust.

Pumpkin Filling

Add the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to the remaining cheesecake mixture. Mix well.
Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling over the top of the plain cheesecake layer.
Bake the pumpkin cheesecake for 35 minutes or until set in the middle.
Allow to cool on the counter. Once cool, cover and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Serve with a big dollop of homemade whipped cream or some fat free Reddi Whip.

Instant Pot Taco Meat – Keto/THM S

September 17, 2020 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

This Instant Pot taco meat is seriously the best that you will ever make! And the best part – it works for your Keto, low carb or Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle.

My goal to start using and loving my Instant Pot has slowly been becoming a reality. I’ve made chicken stock, shredded Mexican pork, sous vide eggs, southern style veggies and even some desserts.

And I’m kinda loving it. Finally! I thought it would never happen. But I keep finding myself trying to figure out another recipe to throw in my Instant Pot. I even got rid of my crock pot last week (gasp)! Ok truth be told, I dropped the lid and it broke so it wasn’t really usable anymore but I got rid of it nonetheless.

So when I was scrolling Pinterest and saw a Taco Bell style taco meat in the Instant Pot, I had to try it. I’ve been a Taco Bell fanatic for as long as I can remember and anytime someone claims a copycat recipe I’m in.

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Instant Pot Taco Meat – Keto/THM S

The pin that I saw was written at the blog The Salty Pot. I followed the directions meticulously (subbing in my own seasoning) and it turned out great! I made some small changes to the original to make it work for our family & our Trim Healthy Family lifestyle.

And I’m telling you, it is good. I don’t know if it is Taco Bell good (because can anyone ever reach that greatness??) but I think you will enjoy it. My husband claimed it to be the best taco meat that I had ever made. The cooking process really infuses the meat with the Mexican seasoning blend giving it much more flavor than letting it simmer 5 or 10 minutes on the stove.

The recipe does have a couple of steps and isn’t exactly a quick recipe. But since it is made in the Instant Pot, you can set it and forget it. It is also a great recipe to make ahead and freeze. More details on how to do that in a minute.

Step 1: Cooking the Ground Beef

You can use frozen or fresh ground beef in this step. Which is great if you are like me and forget to thaw out your meat!

Frozen Instructions: Add 2-3 lbs frozen ground beef and 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot. Seal and set manual high pressure to 30 minutes. Quick release when complete.

Fresh Instructions: Add 2-3 lbs fresh ground beef and 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot. Seal and set manual high pressure to 8 minutes for 2 lbs or 10 minutes for 3 lbs. Quick release when complete.

Step 2: Break up the Cooked Beef

Using a meat masher, break the cooked beef up into small pieces. The first key in my opinion to Taco Bell style beef is that the meat is broken up into very small pieces.

Now drain the water & grease from the beef.

Step 3: Taco Seasoning

Now it is time to season the Instant Pot taco meat. Add 1 cup of beef broth and 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning for every pound of ground beef. If you want to use a store bought packet of seasoning, that is 1 packet per pound.

If you are a Keto or Trim Healthy Mama, try this healthy homemade taco seasoning. You can make a big batch in just a couple of minutes.

Seal the pot & place on manual high pressure for 30 minutes.

Step 4: Saute if Needed

I found that if you use 3 lbs of beef, you don’t really need to do this step. There will be a small amount of liquid left but I left it so that when I warm it back from frozen, there will be a bit of liquid.

If you use only 2 pounds or want to eat right away vs. freezing, you need to get some of that liquid to evaporate. Turn the pot off & then turn it back on by pushing the saute feature. Allow the liquid to cook off for approximately 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Step 5: Freezing

If you want to freeze the Instant Pot taco meat for an easy meal later on just let it cool after step 4. Divide it into gallon size ziplock bags in portions that meat your family’s needs.

Label your bag and lay it flat to freeze.

To reheat, thaw in fridge and warm it in a skillet or in the instant pot on the saute setting. If you got rid of most of the liquid in the original cooking process, you may want to add 1/4 a cup of beef broth when warming.

Serve the meat with your favorite taco toppings.

More Healthy Low Carb / THM S Mexican Recipes:

30 Min Salsa Verde Chicken with Queso Cauli Rice

Keto Cheese Enchiladas (No Tortilla)

Instant Pot Shredded Mexican Pork

Low Carb Pork Belly Tacos with Siracha Mayo

Instant Pot Taco Meat - Keto/THM S

Servings

Ingredients

2-3 lbs ground beef
1 cup water
1 cup beef broth
2-3 Packets Taco Seasoning (1 pack per lb) (If using homemade, use 2 tablespoons of seasoning for each lb of beef)

Servings

Ingredients

2-3 lbs ground beef
1 cup water
1 cup beef broth
2-3 Packets Taco Seasoning (1 pack per lb) (If using homemade, use 2 tablespoons of seasoning for each lb of beef)

Instructions

Place the fresh or frozen ground beef in the instant pot with 1 cup of water.
Set Manual pressure to high, seal and cook 30 minutes if beef is frozen. Follow the same process but set the time to 8-10 minutes if the beef is fresh. (8 mins for 2 lbs, 10 mins for 3 lbs)
Quick release the pressure & break up the ground beef into small pieces.
Drain off the water and grease from the Instant Pot.
Add 1 cup of beef broth and taco seasonings to the pot.
Set manual pressure to high, seal and cook for another 30 minutes.
If you used 3 lbs of beef, most of the liquid should be absorbed after a quick release of pressure. If you used 2 lbs or have excessive liquid with 3 lbs turn on the saute feature. Saute for 10-15 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently.
To Freeze: allow the meat to cool. Separate the taco meat into portions that will feed your family and place into freezer bags. When ready to use, thaw the meat in the fridge. To warm, simply use the saute feature on the Instant Pot or add to a skillet on the stove. You may need to add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of water or beef broth while heating.

Joseph’s Lavash Low Carb Pigs In A Blanket

August 16, 2020 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

These Joseph’s Lavash low carb pigs in a blanket make a quick and easy lunch that makes you feel like you just cheated on your diet but it is completely low carb and on plan for Trim Healthy Mama (S Recipe).

I just made this for lunch and had to share ASAP because it was so good. It tasted like a total cheat meal and it was so easy to make and cheap. That is my trifecta of awesomeness when looking for a Trim Healthy Mama recipe.

What Are Pigs In A Blanket?

I have eaten pigs in a blanket since childhood. Typically it is a hot dog or cocktail sausage wrapped in some type of dough (usually crescent rolls or even puff pastry). And while that is great & delicious, it is not low carb or Trim Healthy Mama friendly.

This recipe for a low carb pigs in a blanket subs the usual dough for a portion of a Joseph’s Lavash bread. Resulting in a crispy, buttery wrapper for your favorite hot dog. No low carb bun required.

And in case you need this for your calendar, National Pigs In a Blanket day is April 24th.

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Joseph’s Lavash Low Carb Pigs In A Blanket

We made our pigs n a blanket with cheese for lunch using full sized hot dogs but I may try wrapping cocktail sausages soon. That would be a great low carb/THM party food when you need to take a quick appetizer.

Ingredients for Low Carb Franks in a Blanket

Joseph’s Lavash Bread
Hot Dogs
Shredded Cheese
Olive Oil

Making The Pigs in a Blanket on the Stove

Place 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. You don’t want a bunch in the pan, just enough to coat the bottom.

Cut the lavash bread into fourths.

Heat the hot dogs slightly before placing in the bread. You can do this in the microwave or the stove. It is important to take this step, otherwise the lavash bread will crisp up and brown before your hot dog is warmed through.

Place one warm hotdog onto a piece of lavash and add 1-2 tablespoons of cheese.

Then roll until the hot dog is completely covered by the bread.

Place the rolled dogs into the hot pan. Let cook for one minute and then using tongs, turn to brown the other side for another minute.

Drain on paper towels before serving if needed. Serve with mustard and sugar free ketchup.

I had a few scraps from the lavash bread. I just saved those & plan to make chips out of that in the air fryer or oven.

How Many THM Pigs N A Blanket Can I Eat?

These little babies are so tempting you may be wondering how many you can eat in a meal.

Trim Healthy Mama allows 1/2 of a Joseph’s Lavash in a meal. You could wrap more than two dogs in 1/2 of a lavash, but I found two to be very satisfying and filling for me.

Cost to Make THM Pigs In A Blanket

1/4 of a Lavash – $.16
All beef Hot Dog – $0.64 (can do this cheaper if you use a less expensive hot dog)
Shredded Cheese – $.06
Olive Oil – $0.14 (makes multiple low carb pigs n a blanket)

The total cost to make a Joseph’s lavash bread low carb pigs in a blanket is exactly $1. Whoop Whoop! Cheap and easy lunch.

Who said THM can’t be done on a budget?

I ate two but since you can fry multiple in the same oil, my total lunch cost for the 2 crispy wrapped hot dogs was only around $1.22. Can’t go grab fast food for that!

Need more quick & cheap THM lunches? Try this Rotisserie chicken made into 5 Lunches

Joseph's Lavash Low Carb Pigs In A Blanket - THM S

Servings

person

Ingredients

1/4 Joseph's Lavash Bread
1 All Beef Hot Dog
1-2 TBSP Shredded Cheese
1-2 TBSP Olive Oil (for Frying)

Servings

person

Ingredients

1/4 Joseph's Lavash Bread
1 All Beef Hot Dog
1-2 TBSP Shredded Cheese
1-2 TBSP Olive Oil (for Frying)

Instructions

Place 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and heat to medium.
Heat the desired number of hot dogs in the microwave to warm them most of the way through. If you skip this step, your bread will be ready and your hot dog will still be cold.
Cut the Lavash bread in fourths.
Using one of the 1/4 segments, place a hot dog on the bread.
Place 1-2 tablespoons of shredded cheese next to the hot dog.
Roll the bread until the hot dog is completely covered. Repeat for the number of pigs n a blanket that you want to make.
Place the wrapped dogs into the hot skillet and cook for one minute. Using tongs, flip the dogs and cook for another minute.
The pigs in a blanket are done when all sides are lightly browned and the cheese inside is melted.
Serve with mustard and sugar free ketchup.

Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Mushrooms

August 16, 2020 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Chicken, bacon and ranch make everything better, right? These Keto chicken bacon ranch stuffed mushrooms make great appetizers or even a nice side dish for your meal.

I think the first time I ever heard of the chicken bacon ranch combo was when Subway came out with their sandwich years ago. And I’ve been hooked ever since.

Mix up a bowl of crack chicken and you can put it in anything. We love it in low carb quesadillas, in chicken puffs, or even just piled high on a salad. So why not stuffed in a yummy mushroom?

Yes, add that to my Trim Healthy Mama S plate!

These mushrooms are loaded with creamy cheese, bacon, rotisserie chicken and ranch to make these the perfect low carb appetizer for your next party. Well, are parties still a thing since COVID? Who am I kidding – you can make these for yourself and sit at home socially distanced BUT at least you will have good food!

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Mushrooms

You are seriously going to love these. I made them one night to go with some chicken quarters that my husband smoked on the grill. And then I made them again the next day.

And mid-week, I made them again and we just ate a big plate of stuffed mushrooms for dinner. They were that good.

Do you like appetizers for dinner? I swear the starters are usually my favorite part of the whole meal.

Ingredients for Low Carb Crack Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms

If you have read many of my Keto/Trim Healthy Mama recipes, you know I like to get help from the grocery store when I can to make life a little easier. And these baked stuffed mushrooms are no exception, getting their start with a rotisserie chicken.

Here is what you need to grab from the store or your fridge and pantry.

Rotisserie Chicken
Philadelphia Cream Cheese (I buy generic EVERYTHING but Philadelphia really is better)
Bacon (either cooked/crumbled bacon or real bacon bits)
Ranch Dressing – This is my favorite. You could make your own also.
Shredded Cheese
White Mushrooms or Portabella (baby bella) Mushrooms

How To Bake Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms With Cream Cheese

These bacon cream cheese stuffed mushrooms are easy to mix up and bake for a tasty low carb starter.

Start buy washing the mushrooms with water and removing the stems. You won’t use the stems in this recipe but frugal Trim Healthy Mama’s don’t throw them out! Try the sister’s ground beef mushroom hack to stretch your grocery budget!

I set mushroom caps on a paper towel to absorb any extra water while I move on to the next step.

Then combine the shredded rotisserie chicken, room temp cream cheese, bacon bits, ranch and shredded cheese in a medium bowl. Mix it all together until well incorporated.

Using a teaspoon, fill each mushroom until full but not overflowing with filling.

I like to use a Broiler Pan to cook these because it lets any excess moisture from the mushrooms drain away – avoiding a mushy mushroom.

Place your crack chicken stuffed mushrooms on the broiler pan and bake until the cheese is melted and warm in your 400 degree preheated oven, about 18-20 minutes.

Yum!

Looking for more Keto – THM S – Low Carb Stuffed Mushrooms? Try these Sausage Rotel Cheese Dip Stuffed Mushrooms.

Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Baked Stuffed Mushrooms - THM S

Servings

People

Ingredients

1 cooked shredded chicken breast (Can use Rotisserie)
8 oz Cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar
6 oz real bacon bits
2 tbsp ranch dressing
2 pkg White Mushrooms or Baby Bella

Servings

People

Ingredients

1 cooked shredded chicken breast (Can use Rotisserie)
8 oz Cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar
6 oz real bacon bits
2 tbsp ranch dressing
2 pkg White Mushrooms or Baby Bella

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove stems from the mushrooms and set aside or discard (THM followers - slice them up and brown them with ground beef for another recipe). Wash and dry the mushroom caps.
Combine the cream cheese, shredded cheese, bacon, chicken and ranch dressing in a medium bowl and mix together well.
Using a teaspoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of filling.
Place the filled mushrooms on a lightly greased broiler pan.
Bake for 18 minutes or until lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Keto Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

July 10, 2018 by Stacy Craft 14 Comments

A family pleasing and delicious Keto parmesan crusted pork chops recipe with a cheesy “breading” to keep it low carb.

These crispy crunchy pork chops get their bite from a secret ingredient that is probably in your low carb pantry.

Pork Rinds!

I finally took the pork rinds as breading plunge and I am so glad I did. That’s right, pork rinds make up the base of the coating for these juicy pork chops.

I can’t really pinpoint exactly why I was so apprehensive at the thought of using pork rinds.

My husband worships pork rinds (pretty sure he would eat them as a side with a bowl of cereal kind of love). I don’t hate them as much as he loves them, but I would not say I really like them on their own.

So if you are in the same boat as me, don’t let the pork rinds scare you! I promise it does not taste like you bathed your pork chop in rinds. In fact, you can’t even tell they are pork rinds.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

Keto Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

So now that you know the secret ingredient for these yummy keto parmesan crusted pork chops, we can get started.

The recipe comes together quickly so you can make it after a day of work and still get dinner on the table to your family in a reasonable hour. And speaking of family, my picky little four year old ate this like a champ.

She prefers her pork chop dipped in a little ketchup, fine by me as long as she is eating something!

Ingredients:

I adapted this pork chop meal to be keto friendly from our favorite pork chop recipe that I found on Just a Pinch. Since the recipe uses really simple ingredients, I usually have everything that is needed on hand.

One of my biggest money saving tips is to have a good arsenal of “go to” meals that you typically have on hand and that are quick and easy to prepare like family friendly Keto Meatballs or 15 Minute Keto Cheese Enchiladas.

It will help you to resist ordering a pizza on a busy night if you know that you can make something quick and healthy for your family like these keto parmesan crusted pork chops. (and a side note, when did ordering pizza get so outrageous??)

Here is all that you need to make these chops:

4 Boneless Pork chops

Tbsp Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese

Pork Rinds

Black Pepper

Garlic Powder

Preparation:

To prep these keto parmesan crusted pork chops, you first want to prep your secret ingredient. I used my high powered blender to crush the pork rinds into a fine powder.

You can also just crush the pork rinds up in a bag using a mallet or spoon.

The pork rinds clump together just a little once they are blended but don’t worry. Once you mix it with the parmesan cheese, it should mix nicely.

Pro Tip: If getting out your blender makes you want to run, skip that step and use these convenient Pork Rind Panko Crumbs that are ready to use!

I had to do a couple of rounds in the blender to get the cup of pork rinds. If you are a little under, it should be fine. It is a pretty forgiving “breadcrumb” mixture.

Next, mix the parmesan cheese (use the kind in the green can it works best), ground pork rinds, pepper and garlic powder to a medium bowl.

Pour a bit of olive oil onto a plate. I just eyeball it but you need a tablespoon or two.

Dip each pork chop into the olive oil and then coat each side with the crumb mixture. I use my hands and press as much of the cheesy, pork rind crumb into the pork chops as I can get to stay attached.

Oven Instructions:

Gently place each breaded chop onto a lined and sprayed baking sheet.

*Note: A sweet reader reminded me that if you bake this on a broiler pan, you will avoid a soggy bottom and both sides will crisp up.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. If you are cooking a thinner chop, cook for less time. The coating will brown and crisp up when ready.

Air Fryer Instructions:

Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

Place chops into the basket and cook until browned and crispy.

For 1 inch thick chops, they should be done in 30 minutes. If your chops are thin, you may want to check them after 20 or 25 minutes. Mine cooked a lot quicker in the air fryer than in the oven!

And they are so crispy and delicious after being in the air fryer.

Keto Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

Cook Time

40-45 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

4 boneless pork chops
1 cup pork rinds, crushed
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tbsp olive oil

Cook Time

40-45 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

4 boneless pork chops
1 cup pork rinds, crushed
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place a few handfuls of pork rinds into a blender. Blend until the pork rinds are crumbs. You may need to do this several times to get a cup of ground pork rinds.
Combine pork rind crumbs, parmesan cheese, pepper and garlic powder into a bowl.
Pour the olive oil onto a plate.
Dip the pork chop on both sides in the olive oil.
Place the oiled pork chop in the bowl with the crumb mixture. Press the crumb mixture into both sides of the chop.
Place the breaded pork chops onto a foil lined pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes depending on your chop's thickness. The crumb mixture will brown and have a slight crunch when finished.

I usually serve this with some Mac And Cheese Zoodles or a side salad. If you want to see how Trim Healthy Mama has helped me lose 22 lbs postpartum, read about that here.

If you need more Keto or THM S recipes, check out my most popular recipe Cheesy Salsa Verde Chicken with Cauli Rice.